Aromatic-glyceryl esters of alphahydroxyisobutyric acids



esters and may,

PatentedNov. 7,

UNITED STATESYPATENT OFFlCE saom'rr LYGERYL names or surnamm oxrrsono'rmc some Jack T. Thurston, Cos Cob, and John M. Grim,

Stamford, Conn, 'assignors to American Cyanamid Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation 0: Maine No Drawing. Application November Serial No. 364,552

60lalms.

The present invention relates to a new classoi chemical compoimds comprising the aromatic glyceryl esters of alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid.

and the hydroxy substituted derivatives thereof, This invention includes broadly compounds in which the hydrogen of the carboxyl group in alpha-hydroxyisobutyrlc acid is replaced byan aromatic glyceryl radical and in which the hydrogen of the alpha-hydroxyl radical may be replaced by an aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, aromatic or heterocyclic radical. Either the glycerylmonoor di-aromatlc ethers may be used for producing the esters of the'present invention,

for example. slyceryl aromatic ethers have-been These new compounds have a wide field oi. usemlness of considerable commercial importance in .the arts. Most of the compounds are rather viscous liquids having relatively high boiling points and are useful as plasticizers for cellulose derivatives, as modifying agents for amino-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde resins, textile softeners, and as modifiers in lacquers. inks, and various coating compositions.

The compounds 01' the present invention are in general, be prepared by any ordinarily employed in the production of. esters and the invention is not intended to be limited by any particular method for producing. We have found that good yields of the methods are .obtained by reacting theglyceryl aromatic ethers, such as for example, alpha-phenyl ether with alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid at an elevated temperature in the presence or a catalyst such as I p-toluenesulfonic acid. 7 a

- when compounds are to be produced in which the hydrogen or the hydroxy] group is replaced by some other radical. it may be desirable in some instances to produce the aromatic glyceride-first.

and then replace the hydrogen of thehydroxyl group with be desirable to replace the hydrogen or the hydroxyl group withan acyl group prior to the production of the ester.

iAmong the various acyl radicals that can be used to replace the hydrogen or the ydroi ryl I an organic radical such as for exam-' ple, an acylradical, and in other cases it may I group are the aliphatic acyl radicals such 'as iormyl, aoetyl, 'propionyl, butyryl, octanoyl and carbonic;

The acyl radical may also be that or a cycloali- 5 phatic acid such as cyclohexyl acetic acid, camphoric acid and the like. The acyl radical may likewise be an aromatic radical such as those of benzoic acid or salicylic acid. Dicarboxylic acids may also be used to acylate the hydroxyl groups in which case two molecules of alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid are combined with one molecule of the dicarboxylic acid, or the mono-esters of the dicarboxylic acids may be employed in which case one molecule or alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid will combine with one molecule of the monoester of the dicarboxylic acid. Among the various dicarboxylic acids and mono-esters which can be used are those such as succinic. oxalic, di-

-glycolic, sebaclc, maleic, naphthalene dlcarand the like. The following ether-acids may also be "employed to produce acylated aromatlcglycerides oi alpha-hydroiwisobutyric acid:

(HMWMy-Q-CH coon- (Beta-nutoxyethoxylethoxy propionic s a 5 The hydrogen or the hydroxyl group may also replaced by heterocyclic acids under certain conditions such as for example the radical of nicotinic acid.

9 hydroxyl group may be replaced by an acyl radidrogen ofthe alpha-hydroxyl group in alpha-hydroxyisobutyrlc acidis replaced by either an albl, ,cycloaliphatic, aralkyl, or aryl group and "such ethers of aromatic glycerides oi alpha-hy- Bb droxyisobutyric acid have properties differing boxyiic, phthalic, chlorophthalic, nitrophthalic,

As pointed out heretofore the hydrogen oi-the cal either prior to the production of the aro-" matic glyceride oi alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid somewhat from the aromatic glycerides themselves. The alkyl radicals used to replace the hydrogen may be either saturated or unsaturated and may or may not contain substituent groups. Included in this group or alkyl radicals are the methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, isobutyl, 'octyl, as well as aikyl radicals containing carboxyiic and oxy groups in the chain to produce compounds such as the following in which R represents a glyceryl aromatic ether radical:

c demon .cooa' sees assassin.. a'.o.c.c(cmi..o.cn.cmoonicni.o.otcmnoo..w The hydrogen or the alpha-hydroxyl group I may also be replacedby alicyclic radicals such as cyclohexanyl, methyl cyclohexanyl, etc. The

various aralkyl radicals may be also used to replace the hydrogen of the alpha-hydroxyl group present in alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid such as 'benzyl, phenylethyl, phenylpropyl, naphthylmethyl, diphenylmethyl, diphenylethyl. cinnamyl. etc.

The hydrogen of the hydroxyl group present in the aromatic diglycerides and the glyceryi diaromatic ethers may be replaced by any or the aliphatic or aromatic radicals mentioned above by reacting the sodium salt of the aromatic glycerides of alph'a-hydroxyisobutyric acid with the desired aliphatic or aromatic halides or sulfates. In some cases the ethers of the mono-aromatic mono-glycerides of alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid as well as the two above types of glycerides may be obtained by reacting the alpha-alkoxyisobutyryl chloride with the desired Elyceryl aromatic ether.

The hydrogen oi the hydroxyl group present in the alpha-hydroxyisobuty'ric acid may also be replaced by groups possessing ketone or aldehyde radicals. For example, halogenated ketones may ,be reacted with the sodium salt of, the aromatic glycerides or alpha-hydroxylsobutyric acid to split oi! sodium chloride and substitute the ketone radical in place of the hydrogen of the hydroxyl group. For example, when chloroacetone is reacted as described above the following com- Various metal radicals may be used to replace the hydrogen on the hydroxy group or the esters and particularly active metals such as the alkali metals sodium and potassium.- These salts are produced by adding sodium or potassium to the aromatic glvcerides oi alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid in an inert solvent and refluxing. In some cases it is more desirable to lug thearomatic ester or alphwhydroxyisomtyric acid with the metallic aseasae solvent such as toluene and remove the alcohol by distillation.

The invention will be further described in conjunction with the following speciiic examples but they are for the purpose of illustration only and the invention is not strictly limited to the exact conditions therein set i'orth.

Exams: 1 Phenyl gluceryl di-alpha-hudroxvisobutwate Materials Mols Grams Alph lyceryl henyl other Al haydroryi obut caoid poluenesulionioaci The above reaction mixture was heated at C. for seven hours during which time 4 cc. of water was removed by reducing the pressure from time to time. A carbon tetrachloride solution of the residuewas neutralized with sodium bicarbonate. washed several times with water and dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate. After the carbon tetrachloride had been removed the product was distilled at reduced pressure. The yield of the phenyl diglyceride boiling at 187-205 C. /1-2 mm. and having a saponincation number of about 800, was 4'! g. or 89% of the theoretical.

Exam 2 Diphenul alycerul .alpha-hudromisobumote Materials Mole oasis ycer'yl diphenyl s tbermbntyric acid a, hs-hy oluenesulionio acid 186-199" C./1-2 mm. and On standing the heavy oily product completely solidified Exmtl 3 Cresul glycerul mono-alpho-hvdroxuisobuturaie Materials Grams Moll 2511 0 lmouo-crssylsilica ioiaiasi ia m 1:0 am

This reaction mixture was heated under reflux 1 at 170 C. for four hours, during which time 1'! 70 smrate. The carbon tetrachloride was removed the sodium or potassium salts by react- 'andthe product distilled at reduced pressure.

The yield of .the'cresyl monoglyoeride. boiling at 190-195." C. at less than 1 mm. and having a saponiiication number of about) was 20'! g. or

in an inert u 17% or the theoreticalyield.

water was removed byreducingthe-peel EXAMPLE 4 Cresyl'glycery'l (ii-alpha-hydroxyisobutyrate Materials Grams Mols Glyce lmono-cresyl ether 91.0 0.5 A1 haydroxyisobutyric acid 114.4 1.1 poiuenesullonic acid 1.9 0.01

The above reaction mixture was heated for four hours at 170C. during which time 15 cc. of water was removed by reducing the pressure occasionally, A carbon tetrachloride solution of the residue was neutralized with sodium bicarbonate, washed several times with water and dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate, Fraction- Suitable hydroxy substituted compounds include to produce the corresponding aromatic glycerides.

those in which the hydrogen of the hydrcxyi group is replaced by an alkyl radical such as ethyl, an aromatic radical such as phenyl. a cycloaliphatic radical-such as cyclohexyl, a heterocyclic radical such as tetrahydrofurfuryl bromide or an alkali metal and especially acyi radicals such as acetyl or carbethoxy, and the examples are not intended to limit this invention'and any modification or variation therefrom which conforms to the spirit of the invention is intended ation at reduced pressure gave 112 g. or 63% of the theoretical yield of the cresyl diglyceride which was a, viscous straw-colored product boiling at 190-195 C./2 mm.

EXAMPLE 5 Dicresyl'glyceryl alpha-hydroxyisobutyrate Materials Mols Grams Glyceryl dicresyl ether l. 0 272 Al i ha-hydroxyisohutyric acid 1. 130 poluenesulionic acid 0. 013 2. 5

.This was heated under reflux at 175 C. for

EXAMPLE 6 Acetyl derivative of alplimgamma-dicresyl glyceryl alpha-hydroxyisobutyrate To 36 parts of alpha,gamma-dicresyl glyceryl alpha-hydroxyisobutyrate dissolved in 200 parts of dry toluene was added 12 parts of acetyl chloride. This reaction mixture was slowly heated to refluxing temperature and maintained at that temperaturefor two hours. -At the end of this time hydrogen chloride was no longer evolved. The solvent and excess acetyl chloride were removed by reduced pressure distillation leaving a viscous and slightly colored product which had a saponification number of 284.

I In the foregoing examples it is to be understood that the alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid may be replaced in all or in part by hydroxy substituted derivatives of alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid ill to be included within the scope of the claims.

We claim: 1 1. Compounds having the following formula.

I i") CH: Ar-O-CH CHGH:0C7CCHc cn. H -c -c-cni in which Ar represents an aryl radical.

2. The compound di-alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid ester of monophenyl glyceryl ether.

3. The compound alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid ester of ,3 diphenyl glycerylether.

4. The compound mono-alpha-hydroxyisobutyric acid ester of monocresyl glyceryl ether.

5. Compounds having the general formula CH:--OAI'| i H-OX:

' orb-ox,

in which Ar is an aryl radical, and X1 and x: are

members of the group consisting of hydrogen. aryl radicals, and the group CHa -c*ccm at least one of the symbols X1 and x, representing the radical CH: C-CCH1 H I 6. Compounds having the general formula CHr-OA! H-OXI Ha-OX:

JACK 'r. rmms'ron. Joan M. cam. 

